CIDG: Wanted Pogo staff falls; leads to discovery of Muntinlupa scam hub

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine National Police–Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP–CIDG) on Friday said its operatives arrested an alleged Philippine offshore gaming operator (Pogo) employee, leading to the discovery of a supposed scam hub in Muntinlupa City.

The arrest was made early morning last Monday at the suspect’s home in Ayala Alabang Village, according to the CIDG in a statement.

It identified the operation’s target as a man on the most wanted persons list with the alias “Phil.”

READ: PNP-ACG: Ex-Pogo workers doing scams ‘not alarming’ as cases decline

Phil was the subject of an arrest warrant for violating Republic Act No. 8484 or the Access Devices Regulation Act issued by a Quezon City court on Jan. 26, 2023, the CIDG noted without further detailing his case.

“During the arrest of the accused, the authorities discovered and witnessed an ongoing offshore gambling/gaming operation being manned by 12 persons, nine males and three females,” the police explained.

The operation was “being conducted in the same house where the accused was arrested,” it added, but it did not say how the arrested Pogo employee was related to the alleged operation.

The CIDG detailed that the hub was allegedly operating the websites vivamaxwin.com, vivamaxwinregister.com, vivamaxwin1.ph, vivamaxwin2.ph, vivamaxwin-pg.com, primogaming8.ph, and primo02.com.

“Verification made with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation revealed that the said online gaming/gambling websites and platforms are illegal, following the total ban on Pogos,” it added.

The CIDG then confiscated several computers, laptops, cellphones, flash drives and other electronics, with an application for a warrant to seize, search and examine computer data.

The 12 arrested operators were taken into police custody to face a case for violating Republic Act No. 12312 or the Anti-Pogo Act. /jpv